Subjects will be inpatients and enter the present protocol once withdrawal treatment, if needed, is completed. They will undergo interviews for construction of guided imagery scripts during a 3 day pre-treatment phase, after which they will receive randomized double blind treatment with active medication or placebo for 23 days, followed by a 3 day post-treatment inpatient monitoring phase, and two follow-up outpatient visits. While hospitalized, repeated measures of spontaneous craving for alcohol, ratings of psychopathology, and blood chemistry including cortisol will be obtained over this time. During the second week of treatment, craving responses will be assessed in a challenge session that combines a social stressor and exposure to physical alcohol cues. During the final week, three sessions of guided imagery will be carried out, on separate days and in a counter-balanced order, exposing the subject to personalized stress-, alcohol- or neutral condition associated stimuli. The final week will also include an fMRI session with emotional and motivational tasks, on a day separate from any guided imagery session. Subjects will remain hospitalized throughout the study, will remain on the unit for a 3 day post-medication monitoring period, and will return for follow up app. 1 and 4 weeks following completion of randomized treatment.